Bangladesh’s Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Passes Away at 80

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female Prime Minister and longtime leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. She was 80 years old.

Zia’s political journey spanned over four decades, marked by both significant achievements and controversies. She rose to lead one of the country’s major political parties, governed Bangladesh, faced corruption charges, and was later pardoned by the President.

Tenure and Political Rivalries
Khaleda Zia first assumed office as Prime Minister in 1991. Throughout her career, her primary political rival was Sheikh Hasina. During her second term in 2001, Zia’s government included the Jamaat-e-Islami party, and India-Bangladesh relations were reported as strained, with accusations of anti-India rhetoric leveled against her.

When in opposition, efforts were made to improve ties during the UPA government’s second term in India. In November 2012, during a visit to India, Zia met then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressing that she came with an “open mind” and hoped for a fresh start, aiming to move past old differences. However, upon returning to Bangladesh, she resumed her critical remarks against India, including labeling the country as a puppet of Sheikh Hasina.

Cancelled Meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee
In 2013, while serving as BNP chairperson, Zia had to cancel a scheduled meeting with then-President Pranab Mukherjee, who later visited Bangladesh on his first foreign trip as President. In a subsequent interview, she revealed that death threats had forced her to cancel the meeting. This was related to opposition to the conviction of three top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami for 1971 war crimes. She stated that any harm to her would have been blamed on Jamaat-e-Islami, and the cancellation was a precautionary measure against her political adversaries’ strategies.

Khaleda Zia’s legacy is a blend of pioneering leadership and political turbulence, reflecting her enduring impact on Bangladesh’s political landscape.